Stranger chat for people who like new conversations

It is usually better than you expect

Most people predict that talking to a stranger will be awkward. In commuter studies by psychologists Nicholas Epley and Juliana Schroeder, people who chatted with someone beside them reported a more pleasant trip than those who sat in silence, even though most expected the opposite. Our write-up of the research on talking to strangers goes through the details and the limits.

What a good stranger chat looks like

• Short and pleasant. Five friendly minutes is a success.
• Mutual. Both people ask and both people answer.
• Light first. Start with music, food, films or a small story from your day, and go deeper only if you both want to.
• Free to end. Either of you can leave without an explanation.

Who uses stranger chat

Students waiting out a late evening, people who work odd shifts, language learners, quiet people who prefer to practise on someone they will never see again, and people who just want a break from their own feed. The common thread is wanting a real conversation without the commitment of making a friend.

Staying safe with strangers

Most people you meet will be perfectly decent, and a few will not be. A few habits cover almost everything:

1. Keep personal details private, and never share OTPs, PINs or payment information.
2. Be sceptical of anyone who moves quickly to photos, links, money or another app.
3. Use text first. It exposes the least about you.
4. Skip and report anyone who makes you uncomfortable.
5. If someone threatens you, do not pay, keep the evidence and report to 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in. Our safety guide explains how.

Our side of the deal

ChatAnony is 18+ only. Chats are moderated with automated filters and human review of reports, and every chat has a report button and a skip button. Abusive users are banned, and serious offences are reported to the authorities. The rules are in plain words in our Community Rules.

Topics that open doors

• Music and films: everyone has an opinion and it is rarely sensitive.
• Food and travel: a good way to learn about where someone is from.
• Everyday life: the best part of your day, a thing that made you laugh.
• Learning: a skill you are working on, a language you are studying.

Topics to leave alone

Skip anything that asks for personal details, money, or intimate content, and be careful with heated topics like religion and politics unless the conversation is clearly friendly. If a topic makes you uncomfortable, you can say so, change the subject or leave.

Making a short chat count

A good stranger chat does not need to be long. A few minutes where you learn one new thing, or make someone smile, is a worthwhile result. If you find the conversation flowing, there is no rush to end it, and if it is not, you can leave in one tap with no explanation needed.

Common questions